"My Lords, the Minister will be aware that the GDP per capita of Wales historically ran 20% below that of the UK, largely because of depressed activity rates arising from the work patterns in heavy industries, such as coal and steel. That has persisted. Now, there is a crying need …..." Lord Wigley - View Speech
"My Lords, does the Minister accept that while patient safety is, of course, the primary thing, there is also a very strong obligation to ensure that promises made to young people going in for training are fulfilled? We are aware of these challenges in Wales. Surely there needs to be …..." Lord Wigley - View Speech
"My Lords, does the Minister accept that the most economic way of meeting such peak demand from clean sources is rapidly to accelerate the programme for building hydro pump storage schemes? There are a number that are ready to go in Wales and Scotland. They are clearly economic, using electricity …..." Lord Wigley - View Speech
"My Lords, I strongly support the objectives of Amendments 124, 128 and 154, as well as the similar provision made for Northern Ireland in Amendments 132 and 136. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Altmann, for all the work she has done, and continues to do, on this matter. I …..." Lord Wigley - View Speech
"My Lords, with the indulgence of the House, I welcome the strategy and the Statement, as far as it goes. The Government previously announced that £500 million would come to Port Talbot. Will any of the newly announced £2.5 billion come to Wales? Did the Welsh Government ask for part …..." Lord Wigley - View Speech
"My Lords, is it not inconceivable, in the circumstances that have developed, that Fujitsu could get away without making a payment? Should there not now be a ring-fenced fund into which it is required to pay, so that all the liability does not land on the taxpayer?..." Lord Wigley - View Speech
"My Lords, for the avoidance of doubt, can the Minister clarify that the scheme that she is talking about would be applicable to England and not to Wales? That must be the case for two reasons: first, there is a facility in Wales for having these sorts of charges; and, …..." Lord Wigley - View Speech
"I am following what the Minister is saying with great interest because it responds to the numerous points that have been made about the reorganisation that is needed to make sure there is no vacuum. The point I would press is that we have an election for the Senedd coming …..." Lord Wigley - View Speech
"Is the Minister aware of the key role that was undertaken over a 25-year period by the Welsh Development Agency, which helped attract more than 200 businesses from the United States and more than 50 businesses from Japan to invest in Wales? If, following the coming election to the …..." Lord Wigley - View Speech
"Is the Minister not aware of the reply given by a Minister in the other place to the MP for Anglesey, Llinos Medi, when the Government confirmed that they had no assessment of how many jobs would come to Wales from the new offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea …..." Lord Wigley - View Speech